Abstract/Summary

Since its conception in 1986, the United Nations Inter-Agency Round Table on Communication for Development (UNRT ComDev) has provided a significant impetus for interagency cooperation and coordination for promoting and advancing communication for development policy and practice. Under the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the focus of the XIII United Nations Inter-Agency Round Table on Communication for Development, to be held in September 2014, will be on agricultural policies and sustainable livelihoods. This background paper is designed to generate discussion around how ComDev can be better mainstreamed into both policy and programmes across the United Nations (UN) system. It identifies the specific challenges and initiatives at the global, regional and national level with regards to food and nutrition security and resilient rural livelihoods where ComDev can make a difference. In particular, it highlights the current barriers to poverty alleviation, including access to resources and markets, natural disasters and climate change, food crises and soaring food prices, ageing populations, rural to urban migration and gender imbalances. Reviewing the seemingly endless debate around ComDev definitions, the paper suggests focusing instead on the key principles of dialogue, advocacy, participation and purpose. By applying these principles across all development programmes and policies, instead of just projects designated as ‘ComDev’, ComDev can be more effectively utilized to support food-secure and resilient rural livelihoods, and alleviate poverty. While currently several UN agencies effectively apply ComDev primarily to areas within their mandate, there are opportunities within the UN system for new types of dynamic synergies, including the use of communication technologies and facilitation of dialogue platforms covering wide ranging topics that are relevant to the post-2015 development discourse. In this context, the paper encourages UN agencies to concretely identify such opportunities and develop collaborative partnerships, not only with other UN organizations but also with governments, non-governmental organizations, civil society and grassroots movements.